This application relates to a novel hand grip member which is a flexible cork composite strip that may be helically wound about the handle of tennis racquets, golf clubs, baseball bats, bicycle handlebars, luggage handles, fishing poles, or any other desired use.
Conventionally, leather or plastic wrappings are placed around handles of tennis racquets, luggage, and the like, where a heavy load or strenuous activity calls for softness and resiliency of the grip. However, upon such strenuous activity, the handle can become slippery, due to sweat or other moisture. Also, tender hands can get blisters on the irregularities which normally form on leather or plastic wrappings, particularly with tennis racquets and the like.
The flexible cork handle-wrapping strips of this invention provide to the handle a distinct feeling of compressability, which can avoid shock. This can be advantageous for baseball bats, and other articles where shock can sting or jolt the hands. Furthermore, the handle carrying the cork strip of this invention has a soft feel, with very high friction. The presence of water from sweat or the like can be absorbed by the cork handle made in accordance with this invention.
As a further advantage of the handle made from the strip of this invention, after winding of the strip onto the handle in a helical manner, it may be buffed with sandpaper to provide a very smooth surface on which the junctions between the various coils of the wound, handle-wrapping strip are practically undetectable. Furthermore, when the handle made from the handle-wrapping strip of this invention becomes dirty, it may be cleaned up by a quick rubbing of sandpaper, so that it looks new again.
Also, the handle-wrapping strip of this invention may be removed from the handle without difficulty, and replaced with a new strip when that is desired.
While cork handles have been used on fishing rods and the like previously, such handles have generally been made of a solid piece of cork, rather than a flexible strip in accordance with this invention, which provides the desirable benefits of a cork handle at a very low cost, and may be easily applied to any handle to provide it with the characteristics of cork.